I sit on the edge of the bed with my hands in my lap, fidgeting with my fingers. I glance up at the door, glaring at the white wood.

   The one chance I had to leave this place was torn away from me by that goddamn black-haired man. Why does he always have to be around me? First, it was him knocking me out, and second was him catching me red handed. Why can't he just leave me alone?!

   But then again, it was me who cause those two things to happen, so I shouldn't pin the blame onto somebody else. I sigh aggressively, swiping a few loose strands of hair out of my face. The night before plays out in my mind like a movie, and I smirk. I was indecisive last night, but today I know my plan.

   I choose both.

   I couldn't decide whether I should stay or leave, so I went with both options. But I have some tricks up my sleeve. The main reason they can't free me is that I know too many of their secrets. Secrets that only members of the gang are allowed to know. So Taeyong recruited me as a member of Neo City, which ultimately means I have to stay. Or does it?

   I've lived in downtown Kingston for half my life, so I know my fair share of gang activity and knowledge. I learned that certain members in these gangs get assigned jobs that require you to leave the base, just like what I saw Mark and the others doing during our first encounter. These jobs can range anywhere from a simple hit-and-run mission to a several month under cover investigation. And seeing as another escape attempt can result in my death, I've hatched another plan.

   I'll stay with Neo City. I'll follow their rules and become a gang member. Not a single person trusts me in this house, but with time, I plan on gaining the gang's trust. Having the gang's trust is a huge advantage; it'll increase my chances to be selected for a mission outside the confining  walls of this mansion. Once I get chosen for a mission, it's smooth sailing from there.

    I get chosen for a mission and I'll head out, the gang thinking I'm off to complete the task at hand. Once I'm clear and off the grounds of the mansion, that's when I'll make my escape. I run as far away from this house as I can. I'll be out in the jungle that is Kingston; they won't be able to find me with how densely populated the city is, and besides, I'll be long gone by then. At that point, I will have finally escaped the jaws of Neo City. 

   But this plan won't take a few weeks to execute. It'll take several months, even up to a year for the other members to trust me, let alone send me on a mission. And I've accepted that fact. 

   The main pillar holding this plan up is me. I have to stay focused on my plan. No distractions can interfere; of course, I can bond with some of the other members, but I have to stay concentrated on what I want.

   And I want to get the hell out of this place.

   A faint knock echos off the door. I snap out of my thoughts to see the door swinging open, revealing a polished and sleek Taeyong. He tugs at his suit jacket before sliding on hand into his pocket, the other resting limply on the door handle. 

   " I see you've found the change of clothes," He nods his head and me, " And they look as though they fit, so I'm glad. He grins.

   I glance down and pick at the clothes I'm wearing; the shirt was way too baggy, the pants fell down to my heels, and the sandals swallowed my feet. I frown, but since this house only has men within its walls, this was the best they could do. 

   "More or less," I chuckle, attempting to initiate my plan. He exhales, the grin on his face widening slightly. It worked, and I smile to myself.

   "Well, let's get moving," He jabs his head towards the empty hallway, " Since you're now an official member of Neo City, it's fitting to know everyone you'll be working alongside, " Taeyong turns, walking slowly down the hall.

   I spring off the bed and jog after Taeyong, falling into a steady walk behind him. He walked with a sense of pride and his chin held high, giving off a confident and commanding aura. We round the corner and proceed into the main room, climbing the stairs to the door. Taeyong's card slithers out of his pocket and it pressed upon to lock. He grabs the handle and pushes the door open.

   "Would you mind telling me who's card you used to unlock that door last night," Taeyong asked, his back facing me as we enter the large main room.

   I glance at the back of his head, wide eyed. How did he know I took a card? Did he see me slide it into my back pocket? Or does he just know that those types of doors need keys?

   "Well? Who's was it?" Taeyong insisted, his voice rigid. He flipped to look me in the eyes, stopping me in my tracks. His gaze bore into mine.

   "A-A man named Lee Donghyuck,"

   Taeyong groans, leaning onto a white door. His fingers pinch the bridge of his nose, shaking his head as hushed curses fall from his lips. 

   "Goddammit Haechan! Get you act together," Taeyong mumbled furiously. I squeeze my lips together, supressing a laugh, as Taeyong flicks his eyes up. His fingers curl around a silver door handle, his eyes connecting with mine.

   "You ready?" His shoulder was leaned up against the door, his body tilted sideways. 

   I take a deep breath. Beyond that door is everyone in Neo City. Jungwoo, the white-haired man, Mark. I'll have to control myself; my snarky comments can lead to me having a bullet in the side of my head. I'll have to keep everything to myself, keep my thoughts strictly in my head. 

   I glance up at Taeyong and nod. He smirks before throwing open the white door, leading me through the doorway. 

   I enter a vast, open room. A kitchen is shoved into the left corner, a large island filing up empty space. The counters are the same white quartz I saw in the bathroom and the cabinets huddled in the corner are the same charcoal black as the floor. A wide, cloud-colored sofa stretched along the left side of the room. Two leather chairs stood at the end of the sofa, facing a dark oak coffee table. A T.V. hung high on the wall above a beautiful rock fireplace, the rocks so perfect they could be mistaken for fakes. Scattered along the left wall were photos of what looked like previous mafia leaders, their expressionless faces sending a chill through me. To my right stands a large, thick wooden table, where seven men are congregated, immersed in conversation. 

   The sudden entrance made each head turn and have their eyes locked onto me, watching me like a hawk. None of the men smiled, nor made any polite gesture; they just glared at me as Taeyong led me in front of the table the seven men were stationed at. I felt their stares burning holes into my skin, the intensity of the atmosphere making me swallow dryly. I'll admit I was nervous and partially terrified, but I know that I won't have to deal with them for long, so I stand calmly next to Taeyong.

   "Everyone," Taeyong announced, "Meet Yubin, the newest member of Neo City."

   The men's eyes wash over me, feeling their stares look me up and down. They remained monotonous, not saying a word. They all seemed to be suspicious of me, their eyebrows knitted together and their eyes narrowed. 

   "This doesn't look like everyone," I blurt out, my mind soon catching onto what I just said.

   "Well, I'm sorry not everybody could come to your welcoming party. They have work to to do, and so do I," A white-haired man said bluntly, turning back to face the table. The white-haired man leans against the table with one hand, the other buried deep in his pocket. Several papers are spread out before him, his eyes scanning them. 'He looks familiar...."

   "Yuta... at least be a bit more welcoming," Taeyong said, tilting his head to the side, a faint smirk pulling at his lips. 

   The white-haired man sighed and glared and Taeyong. His eyes lingered on him before meeting mine. His features could easily scare anyone away. His head hung low as he lours at me with a mix of rage and annoyance.  "Why should I?" His eyes flick up to Taeyong then back down to me, "She was originally a prisoner and is a complete stranger."

   "When the gang first originated, everyone here was a complete stranger, so what's the difference here?" Taeyong smugly grinned. The white-haired man rolled his eyes, an annoyed groan leaving his lips. He continues to stare at me, his eyes icy and stern. 

   "The name's Yuta," he deadpanned, "This here is Lucas," he gestures at a large, tan, caramel-haired man. The tall man.

  "That's Sicheng," a dark brown haired man nods. His ears poke out from behind his fluffy hair, making me stifle a giggle.

   "Doyoung," a man with jet-black hair and thin wire glasses glances up from papers piled before him and nods curtly, dropping his head back down not a second later.   

   "Ten," a small, blonde man sits atop the table, looking up to give me a airy wave. He was one of the men with the briefcases.

   "Johnny," a tall man with chocolate brown hair looming over the table doesn't look my direction, but gives me a slight jerk of his hand. 

   "And lastly, Xiaojun," a man with pale-blonde hair types something into the a laptop before glancing at me and nodding briefly, quickly investing himself back into the laptop. 

   "Now that you met everyone here, please excuse me, I have work to get done." Yuta pushes off the table, documents in hand, and strides for the door, brushing past me. He didn't say a word whilst exiting, he just left like the summer breeze, quick and clean. The other six men focused their attention back onto the sea of documents littering the table. Their eyes stay trained on the papers, not giving me a single glance, acting as though I don't exist.

   Taeyong shrugs and sighs, walking off towards the back left corner. I instinctively follow, not wanting to be left alone with those men. Taeyong stops at another mahogany door. A robotic turning sounds and he swings open the door, quickly descending down some stairs. As we travel down the stairs, I notice that the hall is gloomier than the first floor. The walls are a dark concrete and small lights hang from the ceiling. It seems all too familiar...

   "Does every door with a lock lead downstairs?" I ask, following Taeyong down a slender hall. 

   "Close, every door that leads somewhere important," he says. 

   I nod and trail after Taeyong until another door, this time metal, comes into view. He halts his feet and presses his ear against the shiny metal of the door, his expressions blank, before retreating back.

   "Since you're part of Neo City now, I needed to find a position for you. And lucky for you, a spot on our Weaponary Unit was available." He clamps onto the handle of the door, turning it, and nudging the door open. 

   The same concrete floors and walls spill all over the room. Two punching bags hang from the ceiling, swaying slightly. Long stretches of mats cover the floor to my left, and the entire back wall is one large mirror. Benches outline the room and several strips of lights line the ceiling, giving off enough light to see clearly and have shadowy corners. 

   I glance to my right to see a transparent door and a few thick pane glass windows. Through the cloudy windows, I can see a wall filled with weapons of all kinds. Guns, snipers, bows, knives. Any weapon you could imagine, it was on that wall. A long, concrete wall sectioned off the room, thick glass panes covering the sides and tops, leaving a couple square holes open. Targets and beat up mannequins crowd the corners of the tiny, sectioned off room.

   "This is where your training with take place," Taeyong states, his eyes scanning the room.

   A loud clank sounds from next to me and I turn, seeing a black-haired man exit another room and shake his hair out of his face. My breathe hitches. Him

   "And this will be your instructor." Taeyong nods towards Mark, his icy eyes shifting between me and Taeyong.

   "We meet again..." Mark says. His stringy hair falls over his forehead, shiny with sweat. His fists, balled, are wrapped tightly with hand wraps, his fingers are lightly sprinkled with blood. I lick my lips, giving Mark a simple nod.

   "Indeed we do," I stare into his cold eyes, his black orbs threatening me without words. 

   "Why is she here?" Mark spat, his voice demanding. His arm swiftly gestured at me. 

   "You'll be training her." Taeyong's eyes fell onto me, a subtle smile tugging at his lips, "You're her instructor. Her Boss."

   Mark groaned loudly, rolling his eyes. Our encounter last night left me on a bad page with him. He clearly wishes I was gone. So do the other members. So do I.

   "Really?! The prisoner?" Mark sounded disgusted, almost offended, that he got stuck with me. I frowned, shuffling on my feet and crossing my arms over my chest.

   "You're the best hit man, Mark, you can easily teach anybody. Also Yubin isn't a prisoner, she's a member now," Taeyong flicks his wrist up to his chest, a silver watch encircling it, "Well, I better get going," He spins and begins strolling towards the exit, "Have fun you two. And Mark, control yourself." Mark and Taeyong hold each other's gaze for a brief moment before Taeyong swiftly leaves. 

   The loud slam of the metal door bounced off the walls. The two of us stand in silence, my eyes trained on the walls and his glaring at me. Mark exhales, exhausted, and drew a knife out from his pocket. 

   "Training starts now."

Thank you for reading!!